Budget high on agenda of new legislative session

Published: Sunday, January 10, 1999

MARY ALICE ROBBINSMorris News Service

AUSTIN - With extra money jingling in their pockets, lawmakers are expected to focus much of their energy crafting the state's budget for the next two years after the Texas Legislature opens its 140-day session Tuesday.

Countless ways to spend an expected $5.6 billion surplus already have been proposed, but budget leaders predict lawmakers will have far less in discretionary funds to divvy up.

"The people who think they're going to get $100 million here and $100 million there are going to be disappointed," said Rep. Delwin Jones, R-Lubbock.

"The biggest task the Legislature will have is framing priorities," said Sen. Robert Duncan, another Lubbock Republican.

Gov. George W. Bush, a popular Republican who is mulling over whether to run for president next year, has his bid in for some of the surplus funds.

"I've staked my claim on behalf of the taxpayers that we ought to prioritize public education and send money back to the taxpayers in the form of property tax relief, a series of business cuts...as well as some sales tax relief," Bush said.

But after an announcement Friday that lawmakers will have about $700 million less in new revenue than originally expected, Bush hinted that his tax-cut plan may have to be reduced.

During his campaign, Bush called for $1.6 billion in new money for public schools and $2 billion in property tax relief. He also proposed $400 million in consumer sales tax cuts and $307 in business tax cuts - including a proposal to exempt small businesses from paying or filing paperwork for the franchise tax.

Although the Legislature traditionally ignores spending proposals submitted by the governor, the fact Bush won re-election with 69 percent of the vote could make lawmakers take his plan seriously.

Rep. Carl Isett, R-Lubbock, said he favors Bush's plan for property tax relief but wants to take the governor's franchise tax proposal a step further and require limited liability partnerships to pay the tax. He also is drafting legislation to tighten up constraints on government growth.

Republicans swept all the statewide offices in November and it's time for them to "show their mettle" by reducing government, Isett said.

Instead of granting tax relief that isn't likely to be permanent, Jones said he wants to deposit half the surplus in the state's "rainy day fund" so money will be available the next time the state has an emergency.

"I think we'd be better of socking the money away," Jones said.

But others believe the surplus should be spent.

A coalition of university chancellors has proposed a $1.2 billion boost in funding for higher education, including money to expand the number of top-level research institutions in Texas from two to four. Under the proposal, Texas Tech University would become a "flagship" school.

Lawmakers also can expect a request for state funding to help cotton farmers pay the costs of eradicating the boll weevil. Legislation being drafted by Duncan would let the state pay up to 30 percent of the eradication expenses at a cost of up to $100 million for the two-year budget period.

"The goal of the legislation is to help boll weevil eradication be a more doable proposition," said Duncan, who sponsored the 1997 bill that made the eradication program legal.

City of Lubbock officials would like the Legislature to make more money available to communities trying to recover from base closures. Lubbock, which has been redeveloping Reese Air Force since its 1997 closure, received slightly more than $6 million of the $20 million that lawmakers provided for the current biennium.

Councilman David Nelson said the city hopes between $20 million and $30 million will be provided during the next two years and that all communities where bases have closed can share in the funding.

The city also has several requests that won't cost the Legislature any money.

Nelson said city officials will ask lawmakers to designate Lubbock as "The Music Crossroads of Texas" to help in its marketing for conventions and tourism.

"We're in the middle of the area where many of the music legends were born," he said.

Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Waylon Jennings, Tanya Tucker and Joe Ely are among the musicians who grew up in the area.

Nelson said the city also will seek legislation that will "make it perfectly clear" that Lubbock has the authority to develop Lake Alan Henry as a recreational area.

A number of other issues are on lawmakers' agenda, including:

Rewriting the Texas Constitution that was adopted in 1876 and has been amended 377 times.

Changing the penal code to outlaw "eight-liners," which look and operate like slot machines. Bush said he will push to make that change.

Restructuring the electric utility industry so that consumers can choose their power company.

Allowing state-funded vouchers to be used to pay students' tuition in private schools.

Requiring that the parents of under-age girls be notified or give their consent before their daughters can have an abortion.